Treatment of food products packaged in cylindrical containers



y 1952 G. w. BURGESS TREATMENT OF FOOD PRODUCTS PACKAGED IN CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 1, 1948 M l/11M 3wesr A TTOR/VEV R a 3 mm 4 Wm *M Patented May 20, 1952 TREATMENT OF FOOD PRODUCTS PACK- AGED IN CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS George W. Burgess, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii,

assignor to Hawaiian Pineapple Company, Limited, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, a corporation of the Territory of Hawaii Application November 1, 1948, Serial No. 57,716 I 13 Claims.

My invention relatesto a method and apparatus for treating canned goods in the can and in its most particular aspect is concerned with a it is necessary that fermentation-promoting growths and organisms be destroyed or that their action be inhibited by a suitable heat treatment. This heat treatment is customarily carried out after the goods have been sealed in the can in order to prevent possible atmospheric contamination.

To avoid the bottle-neck which would otherwise ensue, it is also customary in the packing art to positively cool the hot cans, ordinarily with cold water, instead of simply allowing them to cool by standing. Various systems of apparatus have been proposed for accomplishing the cooling, but, for the most part, these either involve complicated mechanisms prone to get out of order at frequent intervals or leave much to be desired in the way of cooling time saved.

The present invention involves an entirely new approach to the problem. In accordance therewith, the hot cans, disposed on their sides with their axes transverse their line of movement, are passed upwardly at a slight angle against a downwardly flowing body of cooling liquid of controlled depth, the cans during their journey being caused to oscillate in a vertical plane about an axis normal totheir own axes and to revolve in a direction opposite their direction of travel. The oscillation and revolving, which is achieved without the imposition of any restraint on the cans in a direction radial thereto, results in unusually rapid and thorough cooling of the cans and their contents.

I prefer'to practice the method of my invention using a system of apparatus, of itself novel, comprising a belt moving upwardly in a trough adapted to confine a stream of cooling liquid, the belt being provided with a plurality of lugs shaped, spaced and arranged to bring about the desired motion of the cans when the belt is moved at a rate exceeding the rate of travel of the cans.

My invention in both its process and apparatus aspects will be better understood from the following detailed description which will proceed with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred system of apparatus and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 a plan view,

Fig. 3 a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a lug element, shown in side elevation.

Referring first particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus will be seen as including a frame member, of angle iron construction, comprising horizontal bars l0, legs II and I la and cross braces l2.

Legs Ila extend to a point above the bars. ID to support the upper ends of another pair of parallel angle bars M the angle of inclination of which is preferably about 6. Bars M are secured at their lower ends to legs intermediate support being provided by legs l5 fastened at their lower ends to channel bars l6 connecting and bracing angle bars I0.

A trough I! (see Fig. 3) is disposed between and supported through the angle bars l4, the trough being adapted to confine a downwardly flowing body of water supplied from sprays l8 mounted above and centered over the trough at or near the upper end thereof. Water flowing from the lower end of the trough is caught in a hopper 3! provided with a discharge pipe 38. The fiat bottom of the trough serves as a runway for a belt l9 passing over rollers 20 and 2| and carrying lugs or cams 32, fixed to or integral with the belt. Roller 20 (see Fig. 1) is keyed to a shaft 22 journaled in bearings 23 supported by legs while roller 2| is mounted on a shaft 24 revolving in bearings 25 supported by legs Ila. Roller 2| is powered by a motor 26 through reduction gears 21, the power transmission means being shown as a chain 28 passing over sprocket wheel 29, keyed to the end of shaft 24, and sprocket Wheel 30 on the out-put shaft of the reduction gear unit.

Lateral movement of belt l9 as it passes upwardly along the bottom of the trough I1 is prevented by guide rails 3|, shown as of wood construction, which are suitably fastened to the inner walls of the trough and which keep the belt aligned through contact with lugs 32. Mounted on top of rails 3| are can guide members 33, shown as metal tubes welded to flat rods or bars 34 of a length equal to that of the tubes. Bars 34 are secured to legs |5 by bolts 35, spacer elements 36 being interpositioned between the bars and the legs to prevent possible lateral displacement of the bars.

Above the lower end of the belt i9 is a downwardly inclined chute 39 from which cans are rolled on to the belt. Cooled cans are received from the belt at the opposite end thereof by a downwardly inclined apron 40 which may direct the cans on to a conveyor belt transporting them to labelling machines, for example.

In the operation of the disclosed system the belt, as has been previously indicated, is driven at a rate exceeding the rate of movement of the cans, which are thus caused to oscillate and rotate from enga ement with the lugs. The resulting agitation of the contents of the cans insures excellent heat transfer between the cans and the cooling water. Moreover, as a consequence of i cant of the cans.

the rotation, a thing-film of wateris carried over the exposed surfaces of the cans above the water level which, by evaporation, provides a highly desirable secondary cooling effect.

Lugs 32 are arranged on the belt in a staggered pattern in two rows paralleling the margins of the belt, the sloping surfaces of the 'lugs overridden by the cans (Figs. 2 and 3) being inwardly and downwardly slanted in conformance with the Due to the'sta'ggering or offsetting of the lugs, movement of the cans proceeds with alternate raising and lowering of the ends thereof. It is this motion which I refer to herein as an oscillatory motion.

The several forces acting upon the cans, i. e., theforce of gravityandthat ofthe downwardly flowing body of water onthe one hand, the force of the upwardly moving lug-bearing belt on the other, are so adjusted that if the flow of cansto the belt from chute 3.9 ishalted, the'cans on the belt cease to move forwardly-Teach individual can jmerely rotates and oscillates "in its then position enthe belt. It isgin other Words, the pressure of thecans from the feed chute which brings about the upward movementjof the train or file of cans on the belt. In=practice, the flow of cans is nmtmally continuous, the deposition of a can on the lower endfof the belt being marked by the discharge. of a can at the upper end thereof, v I

The depth of the Water or other cooling liquid cpnfinedin the trough may vary within fairly wide limits but should preferably not exceed onehalf the diameter of the cans. Apart from its main function, the cooling liquid serves to cushion the impact of the cans against each otherand against the guide tubes along the sides of the trough. When thedepth of the water is as preferred, the water does not further the reverse rotation of the cans, as might be supposed, but exerts a slight braking action.

t will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the desired balance of the forces acting on the cans may be attained even witha substantial change in the anglerof inclination, of the belt and trough. Thus, while I prefer that this angle be about 6, it is possible, by changing the height of the lugs and/or the speed of the belt, to vary the angle from 4 up to 10 ore even Any change in the, angle of inclination of the belt and trough naturallydemands a change in the quantity ofcooling liquid introduced at the top of the trough in order to maintain a desired depth of liquid in the trough. With the trough and'belt disposed 'at an angle of :6; I have found that maximum cooling may be obtained with a minimum quantity of coolant.

It should be understood that my invention may be applied. in the accomplishment of a wide variety of operations other than the cooling of hot cans. Thus it may be used; for example, to increase rather than decrease the temperature of the contents of cansor wherever agitation of materials packaged in cans isdesirable.

The herein disclosed apparatus may obviously be changed ormodified in ways other than have been specifically referred to without substantially sacrificing the advantages derivable through its use. Thus I may; for example, widen the trough and belt and increase the number of lugs in order that a plurality of lines or files of cans can be accommodated.

l Method of changing the temperature of canned goods in the can which comprises passing the oans on their ,sideswith their axes disposed transverselyof. their line of movement upwardly at a slight angle against a downwardly flowing body of liquid having a temperature different from that of the cans and simultaneously causing theic'ans, while maintaining the same free of any restraint imposed in a direction radial thereto,

to oscillate and rotate.

2. Method of claim 1 as applied in the cooling of. hot cans.

3. Method -of changing the temperature of canned goods inthe can which comprises passing the cam on their sides with their axes disposed transversely of their line of movement upwardly at an angle of from 4 to 15 against a ownwardlr iowine 1 5 liquid having a temperaturedifferent from that of. the cans and a depth not exceedingone-half the diameter of thecans and, simultaneously causing the cans, while maintaining the same vfree of any restraint imposed in a direction radial thereto, to oscillatein a vertical plane about an axis normal to their own axes and to revolve in a di- IQQ QQEWQ Q -E their dir c 0f travel- 4. Method of cooling, hot cans comprising passingthe canson, their sides with their axes disposed transversely of their line of movement upwardly insinglefileat an angle of from 4: to 10 against a downwardly flowing body of relatively cool water having a depth not exceeding one-half the diameter of the cans and simultaneously ca u'sin'g the c a-ns, while maintaining thesam e free of any restraint imposed in a directionradial thereto, to oscillate in a vertical plane aboutan axisnormalto their own axes and to revolve .in a direction opposite their direction of travels.

a 5. Method of claim i where the angle of upward movement ofthe file of cans is about 6.

6. Method of changing the temperature of canned, goods in the can in accordance with which the cans while. disposed on their sides with th'eiraxes transverse their line of movement are traveled .iipwardly, at a slight angle against, a downwardly fiOwing body of liquid having a temperaturediiferentfrom that of the cans and ,are simultaneously caused to oscillate and rotate by afo'rceacting in the line of movement of the cans,,s'ai d forcebalancing that of the downwardly flowing liquid and the force of gravity. v

TI. Method of claim 6 as applied in the cooling of hotcansl.

8. Method of changing the,,temperature of cannedgoods in the can in accordance with which the cans While, disposed on their sides with. the .v ax ctrl ,.,verse their line .of movement aretrayeled upwardly atan angle of from 4 to 15f against, a downwardly. flowing body of liquid haying atemperature different from that of the pans and a depth not exceeding onehalfthe, diameter of the cans and are simultaneously caused to oscillate in a vertical plane about an axis normal to their .own axes and to rotate in a ,clirectio'n opposite their direction of travel bya force acting in the line of movement of the cans. said force being in balance with that of the downwardly flowing liquid and the force of gravity. V ,7

9. Method of cooling hot cans in accordance with which the cans while disposed on their sides with their axes transverse their line of movement are traveled upwardly in single file at an an g le of from 4 to 10 against-a downwardly flowing body of liquid of a depth not exceeding one-half the diameter of the cans and are simultaneously caused to oscillate in a vertical plane about an axis normal to their own axes and to rotate in a direction opposite their direction of travel by a force acting in the line of movement of the cans, said force being in balance with that of the downwardly flowing liquid and the force of gravity.

10. Method of claim 9 where the angle of upward movement of the file of cans is about 6.

11. Can-handling apparatus including in combination with an inclined trough adapted to confine a downwardly flowing body of liquid, means for supplying liquid to the trough. a belt powered to travel upwardly within the trough having arranged longitudinally on its upper surface in a staggered pattern and in two oppositely disposed rows a plurality of lugs comprising sloping surfaces following the length of the belt, means for introducing a constant flow of cans onto the belt at the lower end thereof, the cans as deposited on the belt being disposed on their sides with their axes transverse the line of movement of the belt, and means for receiving cans from the upper end of the belt, said apparatus being characterized in operation in that the rate of travel of the belt is maintained such that the upward force exerted thereby on the cans is balanced by the force of gravity and the force of the downwardly u flowing liquid, whereby the cans as they advance toward the upper end of the trough by virtue of the pressure exerted thereagainst by the cans deposited at the lower end of the belt are caused from engagement with the lugs to oscillate in a vertical plane about an axis normal to their own axes and to rotate in a direction opposite their direction of travel.

12. Can-handling apparatus including in combination with a trough inclined at an angle of from about 4 to about 15 and adapted to confine a downwardly flowing body of liquid, means for supplying liquid to the trough, a belt powered to travel upwardly within the trough having arranged longitudinally on its upper surface in a staggered pattern and in two oppositely disposed rows a plurality of lugs comprising sloping surfaces following the length of the belt, these surfaces being inwardly and downwardly slanted, chute means for introducing a constant flow of cans onto the belt at the lower end thereof, the cans as deposited on the belt being disposed on their sides with their axes transverse the line of movement of the belt, and means for receiving cans from the upper end of the belt, said apparatus being characterized in operation in that the rate of travel of the belt is maintained such that the upward force exerted thereby on the cans is balanced by the force of gravity and the force of the downwardly flowing liquid, whereby the cans as they advance toward the upper end of the trough by virtue of the pressure exerted thereagainst by the cans deposited at the lower end of the belt are caused from engagement with the lugs to oscillate in a vertical plane about an axis normal to their own axes and to rotate in a direction opposite their direction of travel.

13. Can-handling apparatus including in combination with a trough inclined at an angle of from about 4 to about 10 and adapted to confine a downwardly flowing body of liquid, means for,,supplying liquid to the trough, a belt powered to travel upwardly within the trough having arranged longitudinally on its upper surface in a staggered pattern and in two oppositely disposed rows a plurality of lugs comprising sloping surfaces following the length of the belt, these surfaces being inwardly and downwardly slanted, chute means for introducing a constant flow of cans onto the belt at the lower end thereof, the cans as deposited on the belt being disposed on their sides in single file with their axes transverse the line of movement of the belt, and means for receiving cans from the upper end of the belt, said apparatus being characterized in operation in that the rate of travel of the belt is maintained such that the upward force exerted thereby on the cans is balanced by the force of gravity and the force of the downwardly flowing liquid, whereby the cans as they advance toward the upper end of the trough by virtue of the pressure exerted thereagainst by the cans deposited at the lower end of the belt are caused from engagement with the lugs to oscillate in a vertical plane about an axis normal to their own axes and to rotate in a direction opposite their direction of travel.

GEORGE W. BURGESS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,178,166 McCue Apr. 4, 1916 1,519,153 Mitton Dec. 16, 1924 1,561,043 Zuckerman Nov. 10, 1925 1,591,645 Rafu July 6, 1926 1,651,208 Holmes Nov. 29, 1927 2,042,686 Stephens et a1 June 2, 1936 2,096,105 Grifiith Oct. 19, 1937 

